How I started my website design business

Thinking big from small beginnings

Anyone launching their first business during a recession would be excused if they wanted to make a low-key start.

But Christopher Frost and Simon Bell decided to think big from day one. They registered DesignBuds, their website design business, as a limited company and moved into a smart office.

As Christopher says: “We went straight into the deep end – but it’s paying off.”

Chris and Simon, who have been friends since being small boys at school, spent two months planning the business – with a major emphasis on marketing. When they went live last November, the economic conditions were not very welcoming, but they refused to be deterred.

“We wanted to be taken seriously from the start so the first thing we did was set up as a company rather than just be self-employed,” explained Christopher. “That was also the reason behind our decision to get an office, not work from home. In fact, that has turned out to be the best decision we’ve made.

“Having our own office presents the right image and shows that we’re a serious business. Many of our competitors won’t give out their address because they’re working from home and don’t want clients to know.

“We’re also finding it easier to convert inquiries into business because, if prospective clients know you are a professional organisation, they are going to be comfortable giving you their business. We can invite them here and talk over a coffee.”

DesignBuds offers clients a range of services from custom website design to researching suitable domain names, web hosting and search engine optimisation. It also gets work from other web developers who outsource their higher technical requirements to it.

Its marketing emphasises the firm’s quality service – both in terms of design and back-up – which Christopher says is giving them an edge over their rivals.

“It’s a competitive industry and it’s still early days for us,” said Simon. “But we are learning all the time. Our market is basically SMEs, but we’re not the cheapest and we are trying not to compete on cost.

“If a potential client thinks we are too expensive we point out the benefits of what we bring to the project. It’s all about quality.

 “We take a lot of care over what we do. We work closely with the client’s requirements. Their website has to work – not just look good. If it doesn’t work for them, they aren’t going to refer us on to other businesses.”

Another benefit of their location, the Arena Business Centre in Poole, is that it is also home to Business Link.  As a result the pair have struck up a good relationship with Business Link Adviser, Nick Hollingworth.

“He’s helped us a lot,” said Christopher. “We ring him up when we need some advice and he says ‘Pop in and see me for a chat’.  “He’s given us loads of really good advice, particularly on marketing our business.”

Nick Hollingworth said: “It would have been very easy for Chris and Simon to concentrate on their business activities within the confines of their pleasant office surroundings. The key marketing message they have learned is to get out and talk to potential customers to discover what it is they actually want.”